New funding announced for musical instruments in Welsh schools

The Welsh government is to provide funding to help schools supply musical instruments to foster the talent of artistically-inclined schoolchildren.

A total of £220,000 has been allocated to help local authority music services purchase instruments that can be shared across Wales and targeted at those in greatest need, with every council in Wales set to receive an extra £10,000 for this purpose.

The government has also pledged to work alongside councils to establish a suitable mechanism for sharing these instruments nationally, ensuring that local authorities are able to make the best possible use of their existing stock of instruments and identify gaps that need to be filled using the extra funding.

Education secretary Kirsty Williams said: "A young person's love and talent for music cannot be developed unless they have access to the instrument of their choice, especially for those who want to progress to the next level with individual music tuition."

This comes after Wales' government recently announced an additional £1 million funding injection to establish a National Endowment for Music, designed to help more young people to access musical opportunities. The cash, provided to the Arts Council of Wales, will cover setup costs, with a further contribution to be made to the seed fund once it is in place.

The aim for the fund is to eventually generate at least £1 million a year to fund various music activities on a nationwide basis. Between this programme and the commitment of money to purchase instruments, the government is seeking to ensure that children are able to have musical experiences both inside and outside the classroom.